Device and method for dispensing carbonated beverages

ABSTRACT

A device and method for dispensing carbonated beverages in accordance with the present invention collapses a flexible container containing the carbonated beverage as the beverage is dispensed, thereby preventing air from filling a volume of the flexible container no longer occupied by the carbonated beverage. The device and method can reduce the rate at which a diminishing volume of remaining beverage loses carbonation, and conveniently compacts the flexible container for ease of disposal or recycling.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/356,401, filed on Feb. 12, 2002, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

CROSS-REFERENCE CASES

[0002] The following U.S. patent applications are cross-referenced and incorporated herein by reference:

[0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/308,628 entitled “DEVICE FOR DISPENSING CARBONATED BEVERAGES” by Lindsay Leveen, filed Dec. 3, 2002 (Attorney Docket No. ITZA-07859US1 SRM).

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The present invention relates to devices for dispensing beverages that are bottled in plastic or other flexible packaging material.

BACKGROUND

[0005] All over the world carbonated beverages are sold in PET plastic bottles in sizes as large as two to three liters. These bottles are typically resealable and sold to households for multiple use, as smaller size aluminum, plastic or glass containers are sold for single use. Unfortunately, the carbonation escapes after repeated opening and pouring from the bottle. The carbon-dioxide diffuses into air occupying space once occupied by beverage. The larger the volume of air in the PET bottle, the faster carbonation is lost. This often leads to a portion of the beverage contained in the PET bottle being dumped down a drain or thrown away with the PET bottle. Further, once the PET bottles are emptied, the uncollapsed PET bottle takes up as much volume in a waste basket or recycling bin as a full PET bottle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0006]FIG. 1 is a partially cross-sectioned view of an embodiment of the invention containing a carbonated beverage bottle.

[0007] FIGS. 2-3 depict the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the beverage bottle in successive stages of collapse.

[0008]FIG. 4 is a partially cross-sectioned view of an embodiment of the invention having a syphon system and containing a carbonated beverage bottle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009]FIG. 1 is an illustration of a device 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The device 100 can be a solid cylinder, cube, sphere or other shaped container that is large enough to fully contain a PET carbonated beverage bottle 102 within the container.

[0010] The lid 104 of the container can be screwed onto the neck of the full beverage bottle 102 from which the screwtop cap provided by the manufacturer has been removed. Within the lid 104, on the opposite side to which the bottle 102 is screwed into, is a faucet or valve 106 that controls the flow of the beverage 122 from the bottle into a glass 108 or mug, or other container from which the beverage can be drunk. After the lid 104 is tightened onto the bottle 102, the lid 104 can be screwed into the body 110 of the device. In other embodiments, the lid 104 can be latched onto the body 110 of the device.

[0011] In still other embodiments, the neck of the bottle 102 is inserted through a port in the lid 104, and the valve 106 is screwed directly onto the neck, thereby holding the bottle 102 in place as the lid 104 is screwed into the body 110. One of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate the different means for attaching the bottle 102 to the lid 104 and the lid 104 to the body 110 of the device, such that an air-tight seal between the bottle 102 and the lid 104, and the lid 104 and the body 110 can be obtained.

[0012] The whole device 100 can then be inverted such that it stands on the legs 112 of the body 110 and the bottle is oriented upside down with the carbonated beverage 122 contained above the lid 104.

[0013] An air or fluid pump 114, which is either attached or separate from the body 110 of the device, pumps air or other fluid through a one-way valve 116 into the annular space 118 between the bottle 102 and the inside surface of the body 110 of the device. The added air or fluid pumped into the annular space 118 exerts pressure on the plastic wall 120 of the bottle 102 and in turn on the carbonated beverage 122 within the bottle 100. The beverage 122 can therefore be dispensed at will out of the faucet or valve 106 into the glass 108.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, as the beverage 122 is withdrawn from the bottle 102, the wall 120 of the bottle 102 is deflected inward and the bottle's volume is reduced. This reduction in volume decreases the space in the bottle 102 that is not filled with beverage 122, thereby minimizing the free volume within the bottle 102 into which carbon dioxide can escape allowing the carbonated beverage 122 to remain more fully carbonated than is normally experienced by simply pouring beverage 122 from a bottle 102 and repeatedly opening and closing the bottle 102 with the cap provided by the manufacturer of the beverage 122.

[0015] If the user so desires, ice, cold water or some other refrigerating material can be inserted into the container, or a bladder or other insert containing such refrigerating material can be inserted into the container prior to the lid 104 connected with the bottle 102 being fastened to the body 110 of the device. The body 110 can be manufactured of metal, plastic or other combination of solid material. Certain materials for the body 110 have insulation capability thereby allowing the beverage 122 to remain chilled for an extended period of time.

[0016] After the beverage 122 is fully dispensed from the bottle 102, a fraction of the air or fluid in the annular space 118 can be released to the outside by relieving any positive pressure through pressure relief valve 124. In other embodiments, any other means for equalizing pressure between the container and ambient known by one or ordinary skill in the art can be used in lieu of the pressure relief valve 124. The lid 104 can then be separated from the body 110 and the empty and compressed bottle 102 can be discarded or recycled. The process can be repeated and the device can be used over and over to dispense beverages.

[0017] The device 100 can also be used to dispense any fluid such as wine, oil or other product which is contained in a flexible container and need not be restricted to carbonated fluids. Other products that spoil when opened to air such as wine, milk, fruit juice, oil etc. could be dispensed from the device 100 without the contents being exposed to air, thereby reducing spoilage. The device 100 can also be used to dispense a variety of other fluids which do not spoil or are carbonated but that a user simply wants to easily dispense a controlled amount of fluid. Another such application is the dispensing of glue, paint, etc.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 4, in other embodiments the device 100 can incorporate a syphon system 428 that can be used when the bottle 102 is not inverted. In one embodiment, a tube 426 is connected to the lid 104 that is tightened onto the bottle 102. In other embodiments, the tube 426 can be connected directly with the neck. In still other embodiments, the tube is connected with, or integral with the valve 106. The tube 426 is long enough to approximately reach the bottom of the bottle 102 and is open at both the distal and proximal ends for communicating fluid through the tube. In other embodiments, the tube 426 can be beveled at the distal end to prevent the tube from sealing off when the bottle 102 collapses.

[0019] As air or fluid is pumped through the one-way valve 116 into the annular space 118, the pressure inside the bottle 102 increases due to the increased pressure of the air or fluid in the annular space 118. When the internal pressure within the bottle 102 is sufficient to lift the carbonated beverage 122 through the tube 426, the carbonated beverage 122 can flow out of the bottle through the valve 106 that is connected to the lid 104 into the glass 108 or mug. The one-way valve 116 can be positioned either in the lid 104 or on the body 110.

[0020] The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the relevant arts. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications that are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims and their equivalence. 

1. A device adapted to dispense a fluid contained in a flexible container having a neck, comprising: a housing having a top and a bottom and adapted to receive said flexible container; a port provided in the top of the housing, the port being adapted to receive said neck; and a pump communicating with an interior of the housing and adapted to apply fluid pressure to said flexible container in order to cause said fluid to be released from said flexible container and to collapse said flexible container as said fluid is released from said flexible container.
 2. The device of claim 1, including a valve connected with the housing and adapted to regulate the flow of said fluid from said flexible container.
 3. The device of claim 1, including a tube adapted to be inserted into said flexible container such that a proximal end of the tube is associated with said neck; wherein said fluid is released from said flexible container through the tube.
 4. The device of claim 2, including a tube connected with the valve and adapted to be inserted into said flexible container; wherein said fluid is released from said flexible container through the tube.
 5. The device of claim 1, including a relief valve communicating with the housing.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the port includes threads adapted to mate with threads on said neck.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a lid removably attached to a body of the housing, and wherein the port is provided through the lid.
 8. The device of claim 2, wherein the valve is adapted to mate with threads located on said neck.
 9. The device of claim 3, wherein the tube is adapted to mate with threads located on said neck.
 10. The device of claim 3, wherein a distal end of the, tube is beveled.
 11. A device adapted to dispense a fluid contained in a flexible container having a neck, comprising: a housing adapted to receive said flexible container; port provided in the housing, the port adapted to receive said neck; a tube adapted to be inserted into said flexible container such that a proximal end of the tube is associated with said neck; an outlet valve associated with said neck and adapted to regulate the flow of fluid from said flexible container and through the tube; an inlet valve communicating with the housing; and a pump communicating with an interior of the housing and adapted to apply fluid pressure to said flexible container in order to cause said fluid to be released from said flexible container and to collapse said flexible container as said fluid is released from said flexible container through the tube.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the port is provided in a top of the housing.
 13. The device of claim 11, wherein a distal end of the tube is beveled.
 14. The device of claim 11, wherein the port includes threads adapted to mate with threads on said neck.
 15. The device of claim 11, wherein said housing includes a lid removably attached to a body of the housing, and wherein the port is provided through the lid.
 16. The device of claim 11, wherein the outlet valve is adapted to mate with threads located on said neck.
 17. The device of claim 11, wherein the tube is adapted to mate with threads located on said neck.
 18. A method for dispensing a fluid contained in a flexible container having a neck, wherein said flexible container is contained in a pressurizable housing having a lid, comprising: inserting said neck through a port in said lid; connecting said lid with said housing; pressurizing said housing such that pressure is applied to walls of said flexible container; and receiving said fluid forced through said neck by the force applied to the walls.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: inserting a tube into said flexible container such that a proximal end of the tube is associated with the neck; and receiving said fluid forced through said tube by the force applied to the walls.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: connecting a valve with said neck such that the valve regulates said flow of said fluid from said flexible container.
 21. The method of claim 19, further comprising: connecting a valve with the tube such that the valve regulates said flow of said fluid through said tube.
 22. A device adapted to dispense a fluid, comprising: a housing having a top and a bottom; a flexible soft drink container having a neck and adapted for containing said fluid; a port provided in the top of the housing, the port being adapted to receive the neck, such that the flexible soft drink container is connected with the housing; and a pump communicating with an interior of the housing and adapted to apply fluid pressure to the flexible soft drink container in order to cause said fluid to be released from the flexible soft drink container and to collapse the flexible soft drink container as said fluid is released from the flexible soft drink container.
 23. A device adapted to dispense a fluid, comprising: a housing; a flexible soft drink container having a neck and adapted for containing said fluid; a port provided in the housing, the port adapted to receive the neck such that the flexible soft drink container is connected with the housing; a tube adapted to be inserted into the flexible container such that a proximal end of the tube is associated with the neck; an outlet valve associated with the neck and adapted to regulate the flow of fluid from the flexible container and through the tube; an inlet valve communicating with the housing; and a pump communicating with an interior of the housing and adapted to apply fluid pressure to the flexible container in order to cause said fluid to be released from the flexible container and to collapse the flexible container as said fluid is released from the flexible container through the tube. 